City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 8.0% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $108,000 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $4,180 in NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Grand Rapids, MI to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.1% in real buying power.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,990 in Trenton | $92,601 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$181/yr.
46 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$181/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Grand Rapids, MI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Grand Rapids, MI to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Grand Rapids → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $77,850 | $72,090 (+16.5%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $128,770 | $119,243 (+10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $99,550 | $92,185 (+20.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $99,990 | $92,592 (+10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.